Below critical micellar concentrations (CMCs), the fatty acid tail can extend freely into solution, participating in hydrophobic interactions within micelles.

The two acidic residues aspartate and glutamate form a "claw" to stabilize divalent cations, such as Ca2+ ions used as an assembly template for the formation of micelles.

Under a hypothesis focused on uncharged membranes with minimal activation energy required to cross between inner and outer leaflets, molecular self-assembly would form a channel structure.

[11] The detergent effect draws on surfactin's ability to insert its fatty acid chain into the phospholipid layer, disorganizing the cell membrane to increase its permeability.

[14] Surfactin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with detergent-like activity increasing the permeability of cell membranes in all bacteria, regardless of their Gram stain classification.

[16] Surfactin is also capable of degrading viral envelope lipids and forming ion channels in the inner capsid with experimental evidence showing inhibition of HIV and HSV.